This invention relates to hand held tools and, in particular, to a flexible cleaning tool having a plurality of edges and ridges which accommodate the user's hand and fingers and enable the tool to perform a variety of functions.
Hand-held tools for cleaning or scraping generally include a member and an attached or integral handle. Hand-held scrapers with handles or grips formed integrally therein are highly effective for scraping surfaces to clean or remove materials because pressure is directly applied by the user's hand to the surface being scraped with the scraping member of the tool. A hand-held tool that accommodates the shape of the user's hand is desirable because it improves the user's grip and is comfortable to use.
Such scrapers and cleaners are available in a variety of configurations and materials to be used for indoor and outdoor tasks such as: removing snow, ice and frost from an automobile windshield (U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,175); removing paint or other materials from a glass surface (U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,517); scooping soft materials (U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,050); and cleaning gutters of various shapes or performing light gardening tasks (U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,611). As is evident from these examples, hand held tools in the prior art that may be used to scrape or clean surfaces are commonly formed from rigid materials for strength and durability and are therefore particularly suited for only a limited number of applications. In addition, the flat design of the scraping member of such tools further limits the surfaces with which the tools may be used.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hand held cleaning tool that is flexible to accommodate a variety of functions while maintaining its resilient, strong construction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hand held cleaning tool that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a hand-held cleaning tool comprising a flexible member with undulations which contribute to the flexibility of the tool and also enable the tool to accommodate both flat and rounded surfaces.